Flying bird toy



Nov. 22, 1949 L. M. RHEINGOLD ET AL FLYING BIRD TOY Filed Jan. 11, 1946 BY M #122715? Patented Nov. 22, 1949 UNITED STATES "OFFICE FLYING BIRD TOY Lawrence M. Rheingold and Alfred P.-Rheingold, Brooklyn,IN. Y.

ApplicationJanuaryll, 1946,-Serial"No. 640,430

1 Claim.

This invention relates in general to a toy and in particular toa toy simulating in appearance and in action a flying bird.

Itis well known that among a childs favorite toys are almost invariablymotion producing toys of one sort or another. Accordingly, it is an object of this inventionto provide a moving toy.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a bird-like toy.

It is another object of the invention to provide a toy which simulates in appearance and in action theappearance .and action of a bird in flight.

Additional objects of the invention as well as its construction, use, and operation will in part be obvious andwill in part become apparent from the following disclosure.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention aremore particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a toy according .to. one form of the invention.

2 show one form of the invention comprising a toy birdgenerally designated l0,'which':is formed of a head I2 mounted on an elongated handle member H, having a pair of wings l3 and M rotatably mounted thereon, and having a plurality of spacers l5 positioned on the stick adjacent to the wings.

The handle member H is round in cross section, and preferably formed of wood, plastic, or the like. It is notched at its forward end 16, to receive the head member 12.

The head member I2 is a member preferably cut or formed in the outline of a birds head and fitted into the notched end It of the stick. The head member l2 may be formed in any desired outline such as the head of any animal or bird,

or even in-a fanciful form; however, it will be understood that the presently preferred form of the invention contemplates a head in the outlineofarelatively large bird such as an eagle or thelike, so thattheentire toy will be in proportion to the size-ofthehead, and at the same time the head willibe inproportion to the life size of the'bird. The head member 12 will suitably be constructed of a thin board-like material such as cardboard,;plywood, or the like.

According to one form of the invention, the head member is comparatively permanently mounted on the' handle -member H by means of glue, nails, staples or .the like. another embodiment of the invention the head According to member is replaceably mounted on the handle member II by a snug frictional fit between the headmember l2 and the notched end It of the handle member. .Accor-ding tothis latter form of the invention, one toy can interchangeably become any one of a-variety of different birds or other objects. If-desired, the head member might also be replaceably-seeured by means of a hinge member whereinthepin would serve the purpose of assembling and disassembling.

Positioned behind the notched end 16 area plurality of spacers 1 tier washers, which serve to outline at least two separated portions of the stick =on-which are rotatably mounted the two wingmembers 13 and 14. The spacers l5,,pre-

ferably three in number, are conventional disklike. forms, fixed in position on the member I l, for

mm images of each other.

example, .by means of adhesive or friction fit.

The wing members -I-3 and M are shaped to .simulatea birds wings, being substantially mir- The wing members have holes I! ,therethrough, the holes being slightlybigger than the diameter of the handle member II, and these holes serve to mount the wings :13 and M for rotation relative to the handle member l-l. gPreferably there isonly one hole 11 to each wing member; however, there may optionally be a plurality of holes H for each wing, in which case the wings may be adjustably mounted on the member H.

The operation of the device is simple, and at the same time a surprisingly fine illusion is created whereby an actual bird appears to be flying through the air. One of the wing members, for example rear wing I3, is held substantially motionless while the toy is twirled to impart a rotary motion to the other Wing which is left free to move around the handle member II. After this front wing I4 is properly moving, the rear wing 13 .is released at the proper time,

whereby it begins to move in the opposite direction. It is noted that it is necessary to have the wings moving in opposite directions, and also that it is preferable to have each wing moving downward when it is outstretched and on its correct side of the handle member I I. In Fig. 1, accordingly, wing M will be moving in a counterclockwise motion when viewed from the rear by the person operating the toy, whereas the front wing i3 will be moving in a clockwise direction.

The necessity for opposite motion of the wing members i3 and Hi requires a little practice in operation, and accordingingly it affords a child a feeling of accomplishment when he is able to make the toy work properly. However, once a child or adult learns the knack of using the toy there is substantially no difficulty at all in its operation. On the other hand, the created illusion that a bird is flapping its wing during flight through the air does not disappear with familiarity, and therefore the toy does not rapidly become neglected.

In Figs. 3, 4, and 5 there are shown further details in the construction and operation of the toy, together with a further form or embodiment of the invention. For example, in Fig. 3 there can be seen with greater clarity the joining together of the head member 52 with the handle member I l through a notch it in the end thereof. Reference is had to the notched end it of the stick as set forth in connection with Figs. 1 and 2 and as shown herein in Fig. 3.

Also shown in Figs. 3 to 5 is a form of the invention in which reverse motion of the wing members is substantially prevented. In this form of the invention the wing member is or it (see Fig. 5 which shows a fragment of wing member i3) is provided with at least one tooth 2a which is pointed to resist motion in the incorrect direction While permitting free motion in the .correct direction. This tooth, for example positioned around the edge of hole ii in the wing member, is adapted to engage a similar but opposing tooth 39 in the handle member i l In this form of the invention the wing members i3 and 3 optionally are posi tioned in channels it running around the stick, and tooth i9 is likewise positioned in each channel I 8. Accordingly the Wings i3 and i i are constantly in a position to engage the stick to prevent motion in the reverse direction by the abutting reverse tooth ]9. v

In the form of the invention shown in the figures, there is a loose fit between the wing member M (or iii) and the handle member Ii, so that there is substantially no resistance to motion unless the teeth are engaging in opposing motion. This also permits a certain looseness in motion which further simulates the appearance of a birds wings in flight.

The toy shown in Figs. 3 to 5 is similar in operation to the bird shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In fact,

the operation may be identical if so desired. However, it generally will not be necessary to hold the one wing while spinning the other; on the contrary, it will generally be possible to start both wings in motion at the same time, inasmuch as the teeth will prevent reverse motion in the starting period.

Numerous variations and modifications may be made in the invention without departing from the scope thereof. For example, in Figs. 3 to 5 the spacers it are not shown. It is understood that these spacers are to be present in the preferred form of the invention; however, when the wings i3 and M are correctly fitted in the channels l8 these spacers are not strictly necessary for the operation of the top, and accordingly the spacers may, if desired, be omitted. Likewise, numerous variations in design and structure may be made, as well as numerous minor refinements in its construction.

While we have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of our invention, it is to be understood that we do not limit ourselves to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

Having thus described our invention, what We claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent, is: r

In a toy having an elongated handle memberformed adjacent one end with spaced channels and. wing members formed at their inner ends with holes of a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the handle member and through which the material of the handle member within the channels passes for rotatively retaining the wing members in position on the handle member against longitudinal movement relative thereto, a single ratchet tooth formed in each of the channels, said ratchet teeth being extended in opposite directions, and ratchet teeth formed in the material of the wing members defining the holes, said ratchet teeth of each wing member being arranged in opposition to said ratchet tooth of the respecive channel for limiting rotation of each wing member to rotation in one direction and in opposition to each other.

LAWRENCE M. ,RHEINGOLD. ALFRED P. RI-IEINGOLD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

